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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29866497">Obscure Occurences</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/'>Anonymous</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Parental Prinxiety [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Play Caregiver Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Age Play Caregiver Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Age Play Little Logic | Logan Sanders, Age Play Little Morality | Patton Sanders, Age Regression/De-Aging, Arguing, Bed-Wetting, Fluff, Gen, I just needed it for the plot, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, i'll add tags as i go, it's not detailed or anything</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:22:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,253</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29866497</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Virgil wants to know why he keeps seeing Remus In the Light Side.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Logic | Logan Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders &amp; Morality | Patton Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Parental Prinxiety [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2132841</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>128</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Anonymous</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The first time, it was the kitchen.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first time, it was the kitchen.<br/><br/>Virgil and Roman had just managed to wrangle two energetic littles into going to bed, surprisingly, met with the most resistance from Logan, who made the two caregivers chase him around the Light Side a grand total of twenty three and a half times, before surrendering, mostly because his legs were exhausted.<br/><br/>Yeah. Virgil was not looking forward to doing that again.<br/><br/>Once Patton and Logan were finally asleep, he and Roman decided to watch a movie in the Common Room. Roman didn't even get past the beginning credits before passing out. Snickering, Virgil threw a blanket over the prince, before leaning down, brushing hair away from his eyes.<br/><br/>"Night Princey," he whispered, voice far too tender, far too vulnerable.<br/><br/>Gosh, he was in so deep.<br/><br/>Sighing, he straightened up, heading to his own room. He did need to sleep some nights, after all.<br/><br/>Halfway down the hallway, Virgil paused, debating whether or not he should check on Logan and Patton just one more time. Roman wasn't awake to tease him about it, so it wouldn't hurt, right...?<br/><br/>Making up his mind, Virgil made a sharp U-turn, changing his course for Patton's room. He nudged the door open, peeking in.<br/><br/>Patton was lying amidst a pile of plushies so large that Virgil had difficulty distinguishing what was plushie and what was Patton. He crept closer, just to make sure Patton was asleep. Sure enough, the little was out cold. His hair was mussed, and the pastel yellow pacifier that Roman had given him before bed had fallen out at some point, replaced by his thumb. Virgil grimaced, trying to stop his mind from listing the various diseases that came alongside thumb-sucking. Stupid anxiety.<br/><br/>Carefully, he picked up Patton's pacifier, then pulled the thumb from his mouth, replacing it before the little could notice anything wrong. Patton smiled in his sleep, and Virgil absolutely, positively, did <em>not</em> squeal at the sight. He turned to leave, expertly dodging the stuffies that had been exiled to the floor, due to the lack of room on the bed.</p><p>He cracked Logan's door open looking through the narrow gap. Roman had switched on Logan's star night light, so the sight of dozens upon dozens of stars dazzled him on entry.<br/><br/>Virgil smiled to himself, catching sight of Logan's cheek smushed against the railing that he and Roman had put up, after one too many incidents of Logan falling out of bed at ungodly hours of the morning. He was clutching his stuffed tricerotops, Trixie, if Virgil recalled correctly (he did. He had all of Patton and Logan's stuffie names memorized, a fact that Roman teased him relentlessly for, despite being in the same boat). His pacifier had, thankfully stayed in his mouth, so no more risky switcheroos for the night, much to Virgil's relief. He reached over the railing, gently nudging Logan away from the bars. Though it was adorable to see, Virgil had no doubt that Logan would be spooked, awaking up close and personal with a set of wooden bars. Logan stirred as he was shifted, peeling his eyes open fractionally.<br/><br/>"...mama?"<br/><br/>Virgil's heart stuttered.<br/><br/>He stared right into Logan's sleepy eyes, before smiling softly. This was the third time that Logan had called him that, the other two being situations that were very similar, and it still sent pleasant shivers down his spine, tendrils of warmth squeezing his chest.<br/><br/>"Yeah, munchkin, it's mama. Go back to sleep, Lo," he managed to say, severely hindered by the the lump in his throat. <br/><br/>Logan sighed, turning and falling right back asleep, as if he hadn't just been the sole cause of Virgil's heart palpitations. He wiped tears from his eyes, taking a moment to admire the way the stars projected onto Logan's body, paired with the pacifier in his mouth, gave him a sense of childlike innocence. Shaking himself, Virgil left the room, closing the door softly behind him.<br/><br/>Ew. Feelings.<br/><br/>He finally headed back to his own room, snapping his fingers to change clothes. Stealing a glance at the clock (ten pm - ridiculously early, in his opinion), Virgil slipped under his covers, immediately turning around to throw his arm over-<br/><br/>Nothing.<br/><br/>Virgil groaned. As if the "mama" thing hadn't been enough. Apparently he'd passed out alongside Roman on the couch, or in the Creative Side's room, and woken up to a face full of his <strike>stupidly muscular</strike> chest so often that he'd grown used to... <em>cuddling</em>.<br/><br/>Ugh, he was going soft.<br/><br/>After tossing and turning for goodnes knows how long, Virgil sat up, about two seconds from tearing his hair out. Was he really so pathetic that he couldn't sleep without the idiot prince for just <em>one</em> night?<br/><br/>He slipped out of bed, making a beeline for the Common Room, because he wanted a cup of chamomile tea, certainly not because he was planning on joining Roman on the couch. Of course not.<br/><br/>And if he <em>happened</em> to take his pillow with him, just in case he <em>happened</em> to fall asleep on the couch with Roman, well, then that was his business and his business alone.</p><p>Virgil was halfway to the couch when movement caught his eye. Turning around slowly, he entered the kitchen, brandishing his pillow like a weapon. The intruder didn't seem to have realised they'd been spotted yet, busy rooting through the cupboard for... actually, Virgil wasn't sure.<br/><br/>Said intruder was clad in a grey t-shirt and green pajama pants, and was kneeled on the counter, reaching for something on the top shelf.<br/><br/>Still standing in the threshold of the doorway, Virgil angled himself so he could better see the intruder, catching a glimpse of a white streak in their hair. Hold on a second, was that-<br/><br/>"Remus?" Virgil blurted, lowering the pillow.<br/><br/>The intruder, now identified as indeed being Remus, startled, losing his balance. Virgil lunged forward, steadying the Duke before he took a tumble.<br/><br/>"Right, get off the counter, and tell me what you're doing here," Virgil said, perhaps a little harshly.<br/><br/>Remus' face crumpled so fast that Virgil as left reeling for a moment. Since when did the Duke <em>cry</em>?<br/><br/>He pointed forlornly at the Goldfish crackers on the top shelf, lip trembling. The expression was familiar to Virgil in a way he couldn't place.<br/><br/>"Ok, ok, no waterworks. I'll get that for you. Then we can talk, yeah?"<br/><br/>Remus hesitated, before nodding. Huh. Still no talking. Not a single inappropriate comment. Something was up.</p><p>Still, Virgil shoved down his questions for later, climbing onto the counter- why was the shelf that high anyway? He'd have to get Roman to fix that. He snagged the bag off the shelf, handing it to Remus, before slowly lowering himself back onto the floor.<br/><br/>"So, you wanna tell me what you're-" Virgil turned, ready to begin his interrogation.<br/><br/>But Remus was already gone. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The second time, it was the laundry room.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've had this written up since last Saturday, but there were just so many things I didn't like  that I only got around to correcting today so it's out a bit later than expected. Apologies for that. </p><p>Warnings:<br/>- bedwetting (it's not massively prominent or detailed or anything.) </p><p>I think that's all, if not, let me know.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The second time, it was the laundry room.<br/><br/>Virgil woke up to the distinct feeling that something was wrong. He turned around in Roman's death grip, pulling the Side's arms from around him, and wiggling out from under his leg.<br/><br/>"Geez, Princey, you're more of an octopus than Pat." He muttered, shaking his head fondly.<br/><br/>The only response he received was a snore.<br/><br/>The feeling hit him again as he stood up. It was like a boa constrictor, crushing his ribcage so much that Virgil found himself having trouble breathing. He inhaled deeply for a few seconds, trying to loosen the ache in his chest. It didn't work.<br/><br/>He peeked over Roman, relieved to find that Patton and Logan were still there, Logan seconds away from falling off again. Hurrying over, Virgil nudged him away from the edge. Thankfully, he didn't wake up as he had all the other times - Virgil really didn't think he could take the emotional stress of being called Mama again, not when he was feeling like this.<br/><br/>Another, almost overwhelming, wave of anxiety hit, and Virgil nearly crumpled from the sheer feeling of panic.<br/><br/>Whoever this was, they were <em>scared</em>.<br/><br/>Virgil sighed, opening the door and heading out into the hallway, ready to just tell this person to calm the heck down and leave their anxiety until a normal hour, at least.<br/><br/>Realistically, he knew that wasn't how it worked - he was the embodiment of anxiety, of course he did - but he was grumpy and tired, and didn't much care for kindness and patience at four in the morning.<br/><br/>Trudging down the hallway, Virgil made his way to the Common Room, because, if he was feeling the anxiety so strongly, where else could they be?<br/><br/>But as soon as he passed the laundry room, he came to an abrupt stop, as if his feet were suddenly on strike, and refused to cooperate. The waves of anxiety radiating from behind that door were so strong, Virgil could've sworn they were visible.<br/><br/>Now that he was paying more attention, Virgil realised that there were tiny, almost inaudible sounds coming from behind that door. Almost like-<br/><br/>Almost like whimpers.<br/><br/>Unsticking his feet from the floor, Virgil crept closer, pressing his ear to the door, brow creased in concern.<br/><br/>Yep, whimpers.<br/><br/>"Hello?" He called out hesitantly.<br/><br/>There was the sound of skin hitting skin, and the whimpers came to an abrupt stop. Virgil nearly choked on the sudden wave of fear, clogging his throat, constricting his chest.<br/><br/>"Hey," Virgil tried again, keeping his voice gentle. "I know you're in there."<br/><br/>No sooner had the words come out of Virgil's mouth, did he realise just how creepy that sounded. Ugh. So much for being comforting.<br/><br/>More silence.<br/><br/>A muffled sob. Virgil's eyes widened, and he tried the door handle on instinct. Surprisingly, it wasn't locked.<br/><br/>"I'm coming in, ok?"<br/><br/>He didn't wait for a response, before pushing the door open.<br/><br/>The laundry room was dark, and the open door cast a beam of light that sliced through the pitch black, revealing a pair of feet, standing in the far corner. Virgil flicked the light on.<br/><br/>Remus hissed at the sudden brightness, cowering further into the corner. He stared up at Virgil with large, watery eyes, holding a bundle of sheets in his arms. Virgil approached carefully, keeping both hands out in front of him.<br/><br/>"Hey, what's-"<br/><br/>Remus scrambled further back, landing on his butt and pressing himself against the wall. Virgil felt a sudden spike in the, already unbearable, ache in his chest.</p><p>Remus clutched the bedsheets closer to his chest, hiding away. Virgil tried his best to soften his approach, kneeling down beside him.<br/><br/>What was Remus doing in the laundry room at four in the morning, with a bundle of- <em>oh</em>.<br/><br/>Oh, Remus...<br/><br/>Remus seemed to sense that he'd caught on, as tears dripped down his face, and he didn't bother muffling his cries any longer. Strangely enough, Virgil didn't feel any more anxiety, but a sudden wave of relief. The iron grip on his chest loosened so quickly that he nearly stumbled, rushing to take a full breath of air. <br/><br/>Maybe it was the tears, or because he was still in caregiver mode from Logan and Patton, but Virgil found himself shuffling closer almost subconsciously, opening his arms.<br/><br/>"Accidents happen, Ree. It's ok. C'mere..."<br/><br/>Remus threw himself at Virgil, muffling his sobs in his chest. Virgil held on tightly, rocking them both back and forth, like he did with Patton every time he had a nightmare, or with Logan, when he'd fallen out of bed again.<br/><br/>"It's ok, you're ok, it's fine," he whispered, over and over again, stroking Remus' greasy hair.<br/><br/>When Remus had calmed down a little, Virgil pulled away, picking up the sheets before he could protest.<br/><br/>"It's fine, Ree. I can do it."<br/><br/>He picked up the bundle of sheets, noting how they were only damp, not soaked, as Virgil had expected. He opened up the washing machine door.<br/><br/>"You leave these lying around long, Remus?" He asked unashamedly, having had similar conversations with both Patton and Logan.<br/><br/>Remus hesitated briefly, before giving a shameful nod.</p><p>Virgil sighed, tossing the sheets into the washing machine, before turning around to face Remus fully.<br/><br/>"Remus, you can't leave dirty sheets lying around," he said gently. "If you've had an accident, then you have to wash them immediately, otherwise your room smells bad, and it's just not good for you, ok?"</p><p>Remus ducked his head, nodding once more.</p><p>Virgil wasn't entirely sure when he'd started using his Mama Voice, as Roman liked to call it, but Remus was responding surprisingly well. <br/><br/>Maybe... no. Not- he wasn't, right?<br/><br/>But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The uncharacteristically timid behaviour. The Goldfish crackers. The bedwetting.<br/><br/>Virgil shoved away his urge to question. His priority was Remus, right now. He pressed a few buttons on the washer, setting to run for an hour. The machine shuddered to life, giving a low hum as it ran. Hopefully it would be done before the others woke up. Remus was spooked enough as it was. Having his... accident revealed to Roman, Patton and Logan probably wouldn't be helpful.<br/><br/>God, if Roman found out...<br/><br/>Roman and Remus still weren't on the best terms, and Virgil dreaded to think how he would react if he found out his brother had been hanging around the Light Side, no matter the circumstances. He shook his head, dispelling the thoughts. No need to stew over hypotheticals.<br/><br/>"Your mattress ok?"<br/><br/>Remus shook his head forlornly, biting his lip.<br/><br/>"Wet."<br/><br/>"You want me to come flip it over for you?"<br/><br/>As soon as the words left his mouth, Remus was shaking his head again, more vigorously this time.<br/><br/>"No! I'll sleep on the couch." <br/><br/>Virgil knew he should push, but the look of pure desperation on Remus' face told him to leave it for another time. So he decided to start his other line of questioning instead. Sitting down in front of the washer, he patted the space beside him.<br/><br/>"Come sit here a minute."<br/><br/>Remus eyed him warily, and Virgil gave him a (hopefully) reassuring smile.<br/><br/>"I won't bite unless you bite me first."<br/><br/>Remus nodded, after a moment, sitting down beside him. Virgil considered wrapping an arm around him, but decided against it. He wasn't sure if Remus would appreciate it when he wasn't upset.<br/><br/>"Are you little, Ree?"<br/><br/>Remus flushed, seemingly embarrassed at having been discovered, but nodded. Virgil hummed.<br/><br/>"And how old are you right now?"<br/><br/>Remus mulled over his words, then held up eight fingers. Virgil feigned shock.<br/><br/>"Eight? No way! What a big boy!"<br/><br/>Remus let out perhaps the most endearing giggle Virgil had ever heard, leaning into him. He decided to follow through with wrapping an arm around Remus' shoulders, and they both sat there a moment, basking in the comfortable silence.<br/><br/>A comfortable silence that Virgil was about to ruin, unfortunately.<br/><br/>"...Does Janus know?"</p><p>Remus tensed up, pulling away abruptly. Virgil felt a sudden spike in heart rate.<br/><br/>Uh oh. That wasn't a very good reaction.<br/><br/>"Y-yeah..."<br/><br/>"Where is he now?"<br/><br/>Remus cuddled back into his side.<br/><br/>"Sleepin'"<br/><br/>Virgil was engulfed by a sudden burst of white-hot anger at the Snake Side. Here Remus was, at four in the morning, using the washing machine in the Light Side, and he was sleeping, blissfully ignorant of his friend's struggle.<br/><br/>"He didn't help you?"<br/><br/>Remus shook his head.<br/><br/>"Didn't wanna wake him up."<br/><br/>Virgil tried not to let too much of his anger show on his face. What kind of a friend was Janus, for Remus to be afraid to wake him up because of an <em>accident</em>?<br/><br/>"Ok, Ree, why don't you sleep up here today? You don't have to sleep on the couch."<br/><br/><em>You don't have to deal with Janus.</em></p><p>Remus considered the offer, then shook his head reluctantly.<br/><br/>"Gotta- gotta stay down there," he mumbled. Virgil sighed, reaching out to smooth back Remus' hair. He ignored the stab of hurt through his heart when Remus dodged the touch.<br/><br/>"You sure? There's plenty of room up here."<br/><br/>Remus shook his head again, sinking out before he could argue, looking utterly miserable. Virgil clenched his fists, now far too aware of the low drone of the washer for it to be comfortable. Remus' reaction replayed on loop in his head, seared into the inside of his eyelids.<br/><br/>The way Remus had recoiled, at the mere <em>mention </em>of Janus...<br/><br/>Virgil frowned.<br/><br/>Looks like he had a snake to talk to.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Virgil pays a visit to the Dark Side. It goes about as well as he'd expected. </p>
<p>(Not well at all.)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: <br/>- an argument<br/>- Crying </p>
<p>There's no actual regression in this chapter, but it's kinda important. Just a heads up.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Virgil carefully ironed the clean sheets, glancing up at the door what felt like every thirty seconds. He shook his head. It was eight in the morning, no one else would be awake for at least an hour. <br/><br/>Still, the assurance didn't do anything to quell the constant flow of what ifs. He wasn't sure what he would do if one of the others found him there, ironing clothes so early in the morning. Questions would be asked and, well, Virgil wasn't <em>nearly</em> as good at lying as Janus. <br/><br/><em>Janus.</em><br/><br/>The very thought of the name left a bitter taste in Virgil's mouth. Remus' reaction had been playing on repeat in his head for the whole four hours he'd been in the laundry room. His insistence that he had to stay down in the Subconscious made Virgil's stomach churn. </p>
<p>What was Janus doing, keeping him prisoner? <br/><br/>A few years ago, Virgil wouldn't have even entertained the thought, but now... <br/><br/>He wouldn't put it past him, with all the lies, manipulation, saccharine smiles and honey-laced words. Janus was nothing like what he used to be. King's death had changed him, crushing any sense of morality he possessed. Now Janus was ruthlessly efficient, determined to do his job by any means necessary. And if that meant hurting people then, well- <br/><br/>Virgil's hand jerked away as it came into contact with the hot iron. He shook it, swearing under his breath. He'd gotten lost in his thoughts, pressing the iron against fabric, hard. He let go of it, using his free hand to gently prod the tender skin, sighing in relief upon seeing it wasn't anything major. He inspected the sheets, spotting only a minor singe that he snapped away with the blink of an eye. <br/><br/>He took a step back, holding the sheet at eye level in order to fold it, when something caught his eye. A crumpled mound of clothing, lying underneath the ironing board. He draped the sheet over the board, then crouched, snatching the mysterious item off the floor to inspect it. <br/><br/>A pair of pajama pants, far too small to be Remus', faded grey and coated in lint, like it had been washed too many times. <br/><br/>Huh. <br/><br/>He glanced at the folded pair of sweats on the ironing board, almost an identical shade of grey, but significantly less lint-covered. He didn't see Remus bring two pairs, and why was it so small?</p>
<p>Was he missing something? <br/><br/>Virgil stared a little longer, as if the patchy off-grey colour and fuzzy fabric held the answers to the universe. He laughed at himself. They must have just shrunk in the wash. He snapped his fingers and, instantly, the article of clothing was enlarged, matching in size with Remus' other pair of sweats. He then folded them and the sheets, making a neat pile in the middle of the ironing board. <br/><br/>"Surly Temple? Where are you?" <br/><br/>Virgil startled, slapping a hand over his mouth to muffle the string of swears leaving it. He shuffled to the side quietly, so that he could see through the miniscule gap in the door. Roman's shadow was fast approaching, his calls getting louder by the second. <br/><br/>"Virge?" <br/><br/>Virgil snatched up the stack of laundry, sinking out before Roman could even consider looking in. <br/><br/>He rose up in the Dark Side Commons, head spinning. Seriously, how did the others do this on a regular basis? He blinked, shaking his head in an attempt to stop the world from imitating a spinning tea cup ride. Sighing, he clutched the stack of laundry closer to his chest, glancing around. Nothing had changed. <br/><br/>There was the ratty couch, the cracked counter tops, the grimy floor, Janus, the- <br/><br/>Virgil's eyes widened, and Janus smirked, dog-earing the page of his book. He brushed his hair back, settling that stupid hat on his head, hiding away curls that could rival Roman's with their volume. </p>
<p>"Virgil." <br/><br/>"Janus." <br/><br/>Janus stood, brushing imaginary dust from his capelet and adjusting his hat, despite only having put it on seconds ago. He clasped his hands in front of him, giving Virgil a shark-toothed grin. <br/><br/>"To what do I owe the pleasure?" <br/><br/>"I'm not here for <em>you,</em>" Virgil snarled. He shoved past Janus to place the sheets and clothes on the counter. "These are for Remus. Where is he?" <br/><br/>"He's sleeping. What do you want with him?" <br/><br/>Janus' tone was guarded, wary. Virgil narrowed his eyes. <br/><br/>"What do you think? This is <em>his</em> stuff." <br/><br/>He didn't miss the way Janus' eyes lingered unnecessarily on the pair of sweats at the top of the pile. He was staring at them as if they'd wronged him, somehow. Staring at them in disgust. <br/><br/>"I'll pass it on," he said eventually. <br/><br/>"No, where is he? I want to see him," Virgil insisted, protective instincts flaring. <br/><br/>Janus' eyes flashed with poorly concealed anger. <br/><br/>"I told you, he's asleep. I'm not about to wake him up." <br/><br/>Virgil pursed his lips. His chest squeezed in apprehension. <br/><br/>"Then I'll go see him in his-" <br/><br/>"Why do you care?" <br/><br/>Janus was standing in front of him now, blocking his way. He adjusted his hat again, and Virgil began to wonder if it was a nervous tick of some sort. But he didn't <em>feel</em> any anxiety... <br/><br/>"He's one of my friends-" <br/><br/>"Oh please, you and I both know that you and Remus aren't <em>friends</em>." Janus spat. "Let's be honest here-" Virgil almost laughed at the irony. "-you stopped being friends with us the moment you walked through that door." <br/><br/>"I stopped being friends with <em>you</em> way before that," Virgil retorted, nostrils flared. Janus didn't seem to have a response for that. <br/><br/>The human side of his face was flushed from anger, and his fists were clenched at his sides. Rage was rolling from him in waves. He glared. Virgil glared right back. <br/><br/>The tension was suffocating. <br/><br/>Virgil shook his head. <br/><br/>"King's death changed you," he whispered, tears blurring his vision. He wiped his face on his sleeve. <br/><br/>Something unreadable flickered in Janus' eyes, eerily similar to sadness. It was gone so quick that Virgil wondered if he'd seen it at all, or if it was just one last lacklustre attempt by his brain to pretend that Janus was even a shadow of what he used to be. <br/><br/>"Look, we <em>all</em> had it rough, we <em>all</em> lost somebody. Being a daddy's boy doesn't make you special. You've no right to take your anger out on Remus. He did nothing to you." <br/><br/>He laughed, but it was humorless and laced with distaste. Janus was shaking, fists clenched so hard Virgil thought his gloves might tear. His eyes were suspiciously glossy. Once upon a time, Virgil would've cared, but now... <br/><br/>Now, he had no sympathy left for Janus. <br/><br/>"Being horrible to Remus won't bring him back, Janus." <br/><br/>"Get out, <em>Anxiety</em>." <br/><br/>Virgil stared Janus down for what felt like hours. Janus met his eyes, unwavering, expression frustratingly indecipherable. Virgil was the one who broke their staring contest, shoving his hands in his pockets, averting his eyes to the floor. <br/><br/>"Just make sure he gets his stuff." <br/><br/>He was gone before he could hear Janus' reply. <br/><br/>Rising up in the kitchen, Virgil tried to wipe away his tears as discreetly as possible. Roman turned, smile and a cheerful greeting on his lips. He frowned, and Virgil barely suppressed the urge to shield his face. <br/><br/>"Virgil, your eyes..." <br/><br/>Oh, right. No makeup. Virgil cursed his carelessness. <br/><br/>Roman's gaze was soft, a welcome change from Janus' scorn. He had set down the spatula - he was cooking? How long had Virgil been down there? <br/><br/>"What's going on, emo?"</p>
<p>Virgil choked on a sob, hand flying up to cover his mouth. Roman's eyes widened in a manner that was almost comical, hastily turning off the stove to envelope him in a hug. He gripped the front of Roman's sleep shirt, sobbing desperately into his shoulder.</p>
<p>"Virge, Virgil-" he was pulled away from Roman's shoulder and forced to meet his gaze. Roman's eyes were so filled with care that- <br/><br/>Virgil choked on another sob. <br/><br/>"What's going on?" <br/><br/>Virgil shook his head, leaning forward to bury his face in Roman's shirt again. He couldn't know. He couldn't know about this. <br/><br/>"It's just been a rough night," he sniffed. "I'm so-sorry." <br/><br/>Roman just squeezed him tighter. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Janus and Virgil have some dirty laundry to air out~ </p>
<p>See y'all in the next decade when I decide to update this again :P</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The third time, it was his room.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I have returned to this story after a month, thank you to all for your patience, I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! </p>
<p>Warnings: <br/>- crying </p>
<p>I think that's all, but you know the drill if not.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The third time, it was his room. <br/><br/>"You better keep them safe, Princey!" Virgil said, leaning against the door frame as he waved Roman, Patton and Logan off. <br/><br/>"But of course, Virgil!" Roman smiled. "I wouldn't dream of letting the little ones get hurt. Prince's honour." <br/><br/>"Good," Virgil's eyes darkened, and a menacing smile to grew on his face. "You don't want to know what I'll do, if you don't." <br/><br/>Roman paled, nodding his head so fast that his curls bounced. Momentarily, Virgil worried that he'd get whiplash. He gave Virgil a hasty wave, nudging Logan and Patton - who'd been deep in discussion about whether penguins or dolphins were better - through the entrance to the Imagination in his room. As the door clicked shut, Virgil allowed his front to drop, sagging under the weight of all his stress. <br/><br/>Lately, the only thing on his mind had been Remus, Remus, Remus. He still couldn't get that heart breaking expression out of his head, the betrayal, the panic, the raw fear that had flitted across his face at the utterance of three simple words. <br/><br/><em>"Does Janus know?" </em> <br/><br/>His encounter with the Snake Side hadn't helped to ease his worries in the slightest. Janus had been cold before, sure, but his adamant refusal to let him see Remus? Remus' own adamance about staying down there? <br/><br/>Virgil didn't have to be able to sense lies to know something was being hidden from him. <br/><br/>Scrubbing a hand across his face, Virgil straightened up, setting his course to his own room for some much needed sleep. With his head running a mile a minute, and the tightness in his chest at the thought of <em>poor Remus, </em>he really hadn't gotten much sleep. He pressed his hand to his door knob, turning it slowly. His mind drifted elsewhere, as he pushed to door open on autopilot. <br/><br/>There had to be <em>something</em> he could do, <em>something</em> to get Remus away from Janus, even just for a little bit. Remus didn't deserve anything that Janus might be doing to him, saying to him. But Virgil couldn't help but feel utterly helpless, in this situation. Afterall, Remus himself had made it clear that he wanted to stay downstairs. Trying to remove him from there out of the blue, or against his will, would make him worse than- <br/><br/>"Holy f-" Virgil pressed a hand to his chest as he caught sight of Remus sitting on his bed, staring at him silently. He took a breath, willing his racing heart to calm. He scanned Remus, taking in the lack of his usual costume, which had been replaced by a light green t-shirt and a pair of grey overalls with an adorable little embroidered pink octopus on the front pocket. <br/><br/>Though his clothing choice was happy and playful, his expression was anything but. Remus' shoulders convulsed with silent sobs and he stared up at Virgil, tears running down his cheeks. <br/><br/>Virgil rushed to sit beside him, pulling Remus into a side hug. He leaned into it almost desperately, soaking up the affection that he was being given. A flash of white-hot resentment for Janus stabbed through Virgil, and he squeezed Remus a little tighter. <br/><br/>"What're the waterworks for, bud?" He asked, gently wiping tears from Remus' face as his sobs finally quieted. Remus reached behind him, revealing a blue seahorse stuffie that Virgil hadn't noticed before. <br/><br/>The thing was well loved, Virgil noted, the navy blue having faded with time, and some of the silver flecks peeling off the body. But it was mangled, a large tear across the golden belly, oozing stuffing. The tail was so uncoiled that it was nearly straight, and Virgil knew for a fact that this kind of damage wasn't something that happened over time. <br/><br/>"S-she's broken, Vee-Vee!" Remus blubbered, shoving the stuffie into his hands. "I didn't kno-ow what t-to do with her bu' I 'm-membered that you can sew a-and-" he let out a choked sob. "Fix her p-please! I love her! I don't want Luna to be broken!" <br/><br/>Virgil inspected the damage closely, before nodding to himself. He tear wasn't too difficult to patch up, but it was in the middle of the stomach, so the stitching would be fairly obvious. He summoned his sewing kit, and the box of tissues from his nightstand. He pulled one out, offering it to Remus, who took it unsurely. <br/><br/>"I can fix her, buddy," he assured. Remus beamed, reaching out to squish him in a hug. Virgil chuckled. "It won't take too long, you can sit and watch it you like. But first, you have to be a big boy for me, and wipe up that handsome face of yours," he winked teasingly when Remus blushed. "You got snot in your moustache." <br/><br/>Remus nodded, scrubbing his eyes and nose with the tissue, while Virgil threaded his needle with golden thread, dutifully stitching up the seahorse's- <em>Luna's</em> belly. Remus leaned on his shoulder, when he'd cleaned up his face a little bit, breath tickling Virgil's neck. He watched intently, as Virgil weaved the needle in and out of the golden fabric effortlessly. <br/><br/>"Wow," he whispered, as Virgil tied off the stitches, using his teeth to cut off the excess thread. "You're really good a' sewin'. <br/><br/>"Thanks, kiddie," Virgil smiled, picking out navy blue thread next. He stitched parts of the tail so that it would coil up again, then handed the stuffie back to Remus. "There you go, bud. All fixed up." <br/><br/>Remus took the stuffie back eagerly, cuddling it to his chest. He traced a finger over the long line of stitches on the belly, as Virgil watched on apprehensively. <br/><br/>"I'm sorry, Ree, her stitches are visible. If you want I can-" he cut himself off when Remus shook his head. <br/><br/>"She has a battle scar now," he told Virgil giddily, and Virgil was sure his heart had melted and formed a puddle at his feet. "She's extra cool!" <br/><br/>"Yes, she is," Virgil replied, smile faltering when Remus reluctantly pulled away from his side. "Where're you going, bug?" He asked, though they were both well aware that he knew the answer. <br/><br/>Remus pursed his lips in a manner that seemed almost apologetic, as if he were the one in the wrong. He stood.</p>
<p>"I gotta go back now," his voice was barely above a whisper. He leaned forward, pressing a little kiss to Virgil's cheek, before pulling back with a rueful smile, clutching Luna to his chest. "Thank you." <br/><br/>Virgil forced his lips to curl upwards, yanking Remus into a tight last-minute hug, then let go reluctantly after a long minute or so. <br/><br/>"You've very welcome, Ree." <br/><br/>And, with one last smile, Remus was gone. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos are always appreciated, I'd love to know what you think of my work!! </p><p>Take care!! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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